Every question you have about the milk tradition at the Indy 500, answered

You know this much about the Indy 500, which is set for this weekend: The winner gets a big bottle of milk to drink, and the driver sometimes pours it over his or her head in celebration, which seems kind of gross.

But we here at For The Win had so many questions about the unique tradition, and the good folks at the American Dairy Association Indiana — who are in charge of delivering the bottles on race day — helped us answer all of them. Here’s what we found out.

Why does the winning driver drink milk?

Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Louis Meyer regularly drank buttermilk to refresh himself on a hot day and happened to drink some in Victory Lane as a matter of habit after winning the 1936 race. An executive with what was then the Milk Foundation was so elated when he saw the moment captured in a photograph in the sports section of his newspaper the following morning that he vowed to make sure it would be repeated in coming years. There was a period between 1947-55 when milk was apparently no longer offered, but the practice was revived in 1956 and has been a tradition ever since.

Is the milk that’s used for the winner from a special or specific farm?

ADAI spokesperson Jenni Browning told us that the milk is purchased locally, although she couldn’t specify the brand. She did say there are special square quart glass bottles used and that those bottles are engraved for the winning driver, team owner and chief mechanic.

Who’s in charge of the milk on race day?

Special designated “milk people.”

Dairy farmer and “milk person” Joe Kelsay

And they’re actually called “milk people”?

They are! They’re dairy farmers voted in by the Association’s board (made up of fellow farmers) and have a two-year term. The “rookie” gives the milk to the mechanic and owner, while the second-year milk person gets to hand the dairy product to the winning driver.

“The milk people are Indiana dairy farmers and they take much pride in this responsibility,” Browning said. “They work 24/7 being a dairy farmer, taking care of their cows every day and become very passionate about creating a wholesome food to help feed their community. So, to be able to provide that very product they produce to a race car driver who has worked so hard to get where they are, it’s a very special moment in time.”

Can drivers request specific kinds of milk?

Yes. They’re polled each year and asked for a preference of type, although no flavors are allowed. Here’s this year’s list, which has a whole lot of “whole” on it:

What if a driver is lactose intolerant?

Browning says the Association hasn’t run into that problem, but they could provide lactose-free milk if that was the case.

Legendary driver Mario Andretti had this to say to our Michelle Martinelli recently on the subject:

“It’s a tradition. Not everybody enjoys milk but just because it’s happening at that point and because it’s got that meaning, all of a sudden milk tastes very good, even if you’re lactose [intolerant].”

So does that mean there’s been a driver who’s risked some intestinal discomfort just for tradition’s sake? Hmm.

Racing legend Mario Andretti. Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

How is the milk delivered each year?

A day before the race, it’s purchased and given to the milk people in three bottles. On past race days, Browning drove it along with a police escort, but this year, an armored truck will deliver it, and it’ll be taken — along with the milk people — to a suite. Around lap 175, down it all goes in an ice-filled cooler to the green room and when the race is done, it’s delivered.

How do the milk people know which milk to deliver?

The aforementioned milk list will be in their hands, and each of the three bottles is filled with different types — skim, 2 percent and whole. The milk person tasked with delivering the stuff to the driver will consult the list and give the correct bottle to the winner.

Are there any other traditions associated with milk at the Indy 500?

There are newer ones, at least for the milk people: This year’s vet, Joe Kelsay, threw the cooler of ice on his partner at the 2016 Indy 500, so we’ll see if 2017 rookie Kim Minich does the same to him.

Browning also reports Joe will be wearing handcuffs to connect to the cooler, which is pretty awesome. But that’s how important milk is to the Indy 500.

Every question you have about the milk tradition at the Indy 500, answered

Find out who’s in charge of the coveted drink handed to the race winner and the story behind the tradition.

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